Living World

Question 1

What is an ecosystem

Answer 1

A natural system that comprises a community of plants and animals that interact with each other and their physical environment

Question 2

Epping Forest

Answer 2

• Contains bogs and ponds
• Complex food web and high biodiversity
• Large no of native tree species e.g oak, elm, ash and beech
• Many insect, bird and mammal species are supported
• 700 species of fungi
• Managed in a variety of ways over the past 1000 years, as royal hunting grounds, timber and recreation

Question 3

Extreme weather disturbing ecosystem balance

Answer 3

1987 storm felled 15m trees

Question 4

Rewilding example

Answer 4

grey wolves reintroduced into Yellowstone

Question 5

Rainforest characteristics

Answer 5

Area of low pressure
Typically receive over 2000mm of rainfall per year
Most average 26-7 degrees

Question 6

Rainforest soils

Answer 6

Red in colour (iron rich), can be several metres thick
Often nutrient poor due to rainwater leaching minerals out

Question 7

Plant adaptions

Answer 7

Deep buttress roots to support and stabilise large trees, help with water transport
Drip tip leaves allow excess water to spill, preventing leaf damage
Liana takes root in soil but is supported by trees to grow upright and reach the sun

Question 8

Animal adaptations

Answer 8

Camoflague e.g green eyed tree frog looks like bark
Sloths have long arms and curved feet and claws to help grip trunks and branches
Toucan consumes foods other animals are unable to access

Question 9

Amazon rainforest - deforestation causes

Answer 9

Logging for mahogany and teak
Over 50000 hectares used for gold mining
Commercial farming - 80% of deforestation is from cattle farming, land declines quick
Also crops such as palm oil, soybean
Road building and settlement growth

Question 10

Amazon deforestation impacts

Answer 10

Estimates 50,000 species lost per year
90 tribes have been forced out
Soil erosion - forest keeps it fertile
Global warming

Question 11

Amazon rainforest value

Answer 11

20% of worlds fresh water from amazon basin
Resources e.g minerals, wood, medicines (25% of medicines derived from rainforests)
Atmospheric regulation
Provides habitats (rainforests contain around half of all species)
Employment
Homes for indigenous people

Question 12

Ecotourism

Answer 12

developers work with local environment to produce sustainable, eco-conscious resorts such as the Amazon Eco Lodge near Manaus

Question 13

Debt Reduction

Answer 13

HICs write off LIC debts to protect nature and conserve the forest, e.g Costa Rica, Madagascar

Question 14

Replanting

Answer 14

Recreating a forest cover like the original by collecting seeds, growing and replanting e.g REGUA Brazil

Question 15

Other strategies to manage the rainforest sustainably

Answer 15

Selective Logging
Education
Conservation
International Hardwood Agreements

Question 16

Characteristics of Cold Environments

Answer 16

Found at high latitudes as the suns energy is concentrated over a larger surface area
Earth tilted away from sun in N hemisphere so shorter days
Layer of permafrost - ground that has remained frozen from over 2y
Not many trees as they need deep roots
Strong dry wind
Lack of rainfall

Question 17

How do people adapt to cold environments

Answer 17

Sami herders in Scandinavia travel hundreds of miles between summer and winter - in summer they move reindeer to the coast or mountains to escape insects and access better pastures; in winter move inland for lichens

Question 18

Cold plant adaptions

Answer 18

Low growing to insulate from wind
Shallow root systems to cope with thin soil - barberry plant
Flowering and seed formation happens quickly so reproduction can take place in the short summer

Question 19

Animal adaptions

Answer 19

Wide diets to improve survival chances
Compact bodies reduce heat loss
Thick fur for insulation, musk ox has two layers
Arctic fox has white fur for camoflague and a long tail to warm its nose

Question 20

Extreme weather cold environments

Answer 20

2019 wildfires in Siberia destroying vegetation and disturbing animals’ natural cycles

Question 21

Alaska context

Answer 21

nearly 2m km
population around 750,000
nearly half the residents live in Anchorage
Home to economic migrants temporarily working in oil and mining

Question 22

Fishing in Alaska

Answer 22

employs 1 in 10
adds $6n annually to state economy

Question 23

energy

Answer 23

50 HEP plants supply 1/3 of electricity
geothermal energy is harnessed in tectonically active areas
Chena Hot Springs tourist resort powered entirely geothermally
Big employer esp oil
90% of taxes raised come from oil and gas

Question 24

tourism

Answer 24

1-2m summer visitors, most from cruises
one of the biggest employers but work is seasonal
fishing, hiking, skiing, helicopter tourism

Question 25

Challenge of accessibility

Answer 25

most of alaska lacks surfaced roads snow and ice can make them unusable seasonal melting and refreezing of active layer results in uneven ground - thermokarst soliflucation means soil and mud collects at the base of slopes, blocking roads permafrost melts meaning offroad travel can't take place in summer

Question 26

Challenge of buildings and infrastructure Alaska

Answer 26

active layer melting causes issues for building escaping heat from properties can melt the ground below, ice loses volume and land under homes is subsidised buildings can be raised on piles, have triple glazed windows and high steep roofs so snow can slide off

Question 27

why are wildernesses valuable

Answer 27

biodiversity natural resources science snow and ice reflect sun, regulating earth's temp permafrost holds methane potential for adventure/tourism forestry and fishing native culture

Question 28

Technology to balance Development and Conservation

Answer 28

Trans Alaskan Pipeline enables oil to be transported 1300km technology helps to reduce the environmental impacts raised on stilts and insulated to retain heat and stop it melting permafrost doesn't affect caribou migration

Question 29

Government balancing development and conservation

Answer 29

US involved in Alaskan protection since oil National Environmental Policy Act ensures oil companies protect the environment and native rights Creation of Western Arctic Reserve - 9m hectares of protected wilderness

Question 30

International Agreements balancing conservation and development

Answer 30

Antarctic Treaty signed 1959 sets out principles and procedures to protect the environment prevents economical development and controls tourism

Question 31

Conservation groups balancing conservation and development

Answer 31

WWF in Canada works to manage and protect Arctic Environments Provides scientific info, expertise and resources Works with local communities to manage critical ecosystems Works with oil companies, Inuit organisations and government regulators to plan a sustainable future for the Arctic

Question 32

International organisations balancing development and conservation

Answer 32

Arctic Council established 1998 Represents 8 countries and indigenous peoples Policies of sustainable development and environmental protection, as well as not harming economies of indigenous Influential in implementing and enforcing protection laws